Day In The Life: Toby Darden

Longtime Fort Worth oil and gas man retires, then returns to the industry he’s spent more than three decades in.

2:30-4:00 a.m.: Giggling with (my wife) Joanie until she falls back to sleep. Then I organize things to do for the day/week, send emails to team, family, and partners in the U.S., Europe, and Asia. I only hear back from the Asians and Europeans.

7:30-8:00 a.m.: Take Jack to school and get a real world perspective from my 8-year-old son. (He is usually right.)

"I am blessed with a beautiful wife with a good mind and good heart and six amazing children. We have a lot of fun together. Therefore, my motto is: Will Work for Fun."

8:00-9:00 a.m.: Office - Spend an hour with Jeff Cook, my business partner of 34 years, talking politics, telling old oilfield stories, planning our operations, and reviewing current business progress and new ideas and deals. Together we set the course and strategy for our businesses for the day, week and decade.

2:00-6:00 p.m.: Meetings with clients, partners and new project developers. These meetings give feedback to our businesses and pave the way to the next opportunity. We review 10-15 new projects per week. Communication with partners in Boston, Washington, New York, Tokyo and Singapore.

6:30 p.m.: Dinner with the family: Joanie, Lauren, Jack and (Grace, Kate, Rachel, and/or Samantha, when in the neighborhood) and their significant others and other surrogate children who drop by for one of Joanie’s spectacular meals.

8:00-9:00 p.m.: Glass of wine with Joanie to review the day, week and year to date.

9:00-10:00 p.m.: News of day from multiple outlets online and other sources.